Safety device for power cutting tools

ABSTRACT

A safety system for powered cutting tools is disclosed. The safety system comprises a number of component devices that may be used alone or in combination to substantially reduce the risk of injury to the operator of the power cutting tool. The devices are designed for use with table saws, miter saws, jointers, routers, shapers and similar equipment. The devices secure a work piece against unanticipated movement and kickback while simultaneously protecting the operator&#39;s hands. The devices further enhance the capabilities of power equipment to make precise cuts safer, faster and easier.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/272,193, filed Sep. 21, 2016; which is adivisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/582,893filed Dec. 24, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,486,935, entitled SafetyDevices for Powered Cutting Tools.

The present application claims priority to each of the precedingidentified applications, and the entirety of each are incorporatedherein by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a safety system for powered cuttingtools, primarily table saws, router tables, miter saws andplaners/jointers. The system comprises a number of component devicesthat, alone or in combination, provide enhanced safety and reduce oreliminate injuries to an operator of the equipment. The devices attachto or are used with a frame or table associated with a powered cuttingtool and are adapted for securing work pieces during a cuttingoperation, protecting the operator's hands and arms and, in someinstances, simultaneously improving the versatility and use of thecutting tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Power cutting tools having a rotating blade or cutting element, such astable saws, miter saws, routers, jointers and shapers, are dangerous.Thousands of operators of these types of cutting tools are severelyinjured every year. According to data from the United States ConsumerProducts Safety Commission, roughly 31,000 people are treated inemergency rooms every year for table saw injuries. It is believed thatinjuries resulting from use of table or cabinet-based power cuttingtools other than table saws are equally significant, statistically andin the nature of the injury to the operator, but are not well reportedbecause fewer people own and use such equipment. The physical injury andtrauma to an operator's hand and/or fingers is often significant.Injuries occur due to several factors, including lack of understandingby the operator of the equipment and/or characteristics of the woodbeing cut, inattentiveness, fatigue, work piece kickback and misuse ofor misplaced reliance on accessory devices such as push sticks, featherboards, splitters and kerf blades.

As wood is cut, particularly with a table saw, preexisting stresses inthe wood are released. The partially cut work piece may move, twist, orbend and the gap or kerf between the cut portions of the wood closetogether before the work piece is fully cut. With the two separatehalves pressing together at the rear of the blade where the saw teeth ofthe blade are rising up from the table or supporting surface, a workpiece can be thrown forwards toward the operator as a projectile. Thisevent is termed a kickback. A second form of kickback may occur if thesaw's rip fence or guide fence is misadjusted so as to be slightlycloser to the rear of the blade than the front, rather than beingparallel to the blade. In this case, the fence can push the wood intothe saw blade, leading to a similar result. Splitters and stationaryblades mounted behind a rotating saw blade are one type of tool designedto prevent or reduce kickback. However, in practice, such devices do notprevent all cases of kickback and do not address non-kickback relatedinjuries. Moreover, they are limited to use solely with table saws andnot other type of powered cutting tools.

The operator can be seriously injured by the thrown work piece. However,serious injury also results to the operator's hand and/or fingersbecause, prior to the kickback event, the operator is pushing the workpiece toward the rotating cutting tool. With the momentum of the pushingmotion directed toward the cutting tool, and with the work piecesuddenly removed or its physical position unexpectedly altered, theoperator's hands can be thrust into the cutting tool. Similar situationscan occur when the operator is using accessory aids and when theoperator is cutting small pieces of wood with his/her hands positionsclosely to the cutting tool.

There are different types of cuts performed by powered cutting tools.One type is ripping. A rip cut is performed on a table saw by passingthe wood between the blade and a rip fence parallel to the grain of thewood. A cross-cut is the same, but is performed across the grain of thewood. Another type of cut is mitering, and is performed by a specializedmiter saw where the blade may be repositioned at an angle relative tothe work piece. Mitering is an angle cross-cut. Another type of cut isbeveling. Most bevels are rip cuts using a rip fence as a guide with theblade or table tilted to achieve the required angle. Bevel cuts may bemade on a miter saw or a table saw. Another type of cut is a dado. Adado cut is done by setting a table saw blade to a cutting depth lessthan the thickness of the work piece to form a u-shaped cut or groove inthe work piece. The dado cut does not go entirely through the workpiece. Routing also involves cutting a groove in a work piece. A jointeror shaper cuts or shaves an entire surface of a work piece, such as anedge, to remove or reduce a bow or curve in the work piece. Seriousinjuries can occur with each of these devices. While all of thesedevices are different, each has a cutting zone which is the areaproximate the moving blade or cutting instrument.

Attempts to develop safety devices for powered cutting tools have beenmade with limited success. For example, the websitewww.tablesawaccidents.com/new-page-3.htm shows three safety deviceswhich have limited applicability and usefulness. The device identifiedas Hand Guard, is a work piece pusher for use in connection with a tablesaw. It provides a single notch or cut-out at its base which has anadjustable depth to accommodate work pieces of different thicknesses.However, this device is positioned between the saw blade and the guidefence when used. No protection is provided to the operator's hand anduse of this device requires the operator's hand to pass by the rotatingsaw blade. It also limits the narrowness of a cut that can be made on atable saw due to its own width. A second similar device is also shownunder the name Push Block. While it saddles and moves along a rip fence,it also provides no protection for the user's hand and only includes asingle notch to accommodate a single work piece thickness. In addition,it is not adjustable to accommodate use with guide fences of differentsizes and shapes. Further still, an anti-kickback roller device isshown. The device applies a downward pressure on the work piece. Asillustrated, one device may be placed before the cutting blade and onepositioned following the cutting blade. When deployed in this manner,the devices prevent the use of other needed safety devices, including awork piece pusher and hold down device. Indeed, the Hand Guard andPusher Block devices depicted on the same web page could not be usedwith the anti-kickback devices as the forward anti-kickback deviceprevents the any type of pusher device from moving the work piececompletely past the saw blade. It also appears that the post cutanti-kickback device requires the operator to manually lift and positionthe roller on the work piece, bringing the operator's hand dangerouslyclose to the moving saw blade. Yet another safety device used with tablesaws is sold under the name SawStop by SawStop, LLC of Tualatin, Oreg.This device is designed to cause a table saw blade to quickly stop, withno injury to an operator's hand. However, this device costs hundreds ofdollars and is not designed to be retrofit with existing table saws.Further still, all of the foregoing devices are designed and intended tobe used with table saws and do not address the significant and seriousinjuries created with miter saws, routers, jointers and shapers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a novel system, devices, and methods are disclosed hereinfor safely operating powered cutting tools.

In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates a selectivelypositionable device for securing a work piece while also positioning auser's left hand at a safe distance away from the cutting zone, namely,the area proximate the rotating blade of a table saw, and providingprotection in the event the user's hand were to inadvertently movetoward an active blade. The device is secured to the base, frame ortable top of the table saw while also being selectively positionablerelative to the cutting tool to permit necessary positioning andmovement of the work piece relative to and at different orientations tothe cutting blade while simultaneously holding down the work piece toreduce kickback and providing protection for the operator's left hand.In one embodiment the device comprises a base that is rotatably securedto the table top of the cutting tool. A leading or front portion of thedevice that engages the work piece is provided with a series of steppedsurfaces or shoulders to accommodate work pieces of different thickness.The device pivots or rotates to facilitate positioning relative to thework piece regardless of the size of the work piece. Rotation of thedevice allows constant contact with the work piece. It holds the workpiece against the rip fence and holds it down against the surface of thetable saw. Complete control of the work piece is provided. A physicalstop is also provided such that the device cannot move into contact withthe blade of the cutting tool nor cause the work piece to be pinchedagainst the cutting tool and create a kickback.

In another embodiment also designed for use with a table saw andintended to be used in combination with the previously described lefthand device, a device is provided which is also designed to hold downthe work piece at a different location and, at the same time, push thework piece past the saw blade quickly and safely. The safety device fitsover or saddles the rip or guide fence and slides forward to push thework piece through the cutting zone and past the rotating blade. In afirst embodiment, the device generally comprises a left wall, a top walland a right wall. The left wall and right wall are spaced apart slightlymore than the width of a rip fence. The top wall is attached to the leftand right walls and slides along the top of the rip fence. A handle isprovided to be grasped by an operator. In one embodiment, the left wallextends vertically above the top wall and handle to protect theoperator's hand from the saw blade in the event of an unexpectedkickback or other accident or mistake. The lower portion of the leftwall is formed with a series of stepped or increasingly large cut-outs.The cut-outs are designed to accommodate work pieces of differentthickness. It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art thatthe cut-outs may be dimensioned in any number or variety of differentsizes to accommodate work pieces of different thickness. There also maybe more or fewer than four cut-outs. In a further alternativeembodiment, the device may also be constructed in an adjustable versionthat allows adjustment of the left wall relative to the top and rightwall to accommodate use with work pieces of different thicknesses byaltering the position of the cut outs relative to the cutting surface.

A further embodiment of the safety device described in the priorparagraph is more fully adjustable. Here, the relative position of thecomponent pieces are adjustable to accommodate rip fences of differentdimensions.

A still further embodiment of the right hand hold down and pusherconcept described in the prior two paragraphs is one that incorporates aswing arm push element for engaging the work piece and is designedprimarily for use with a router, jointer and/or shaper, in addition to atable saw. Here, instead of using a left wall with a series of one ormore cutouts, a swing arm is affixed to the left wall and permits a workpiece to initially pass underneath the swing arm, rotating the swing armto a position on top of the work piece. Once the work piece passescompletely underneath the swing arm, the swing arm rotates to agenerally vertical position where it engages the rear or trailing edgeof the work piece, allowing the operator to completely push the workpiece past the cutting element in a safe manner protecting the righthand of the operator. The position of the swing arm is adjustable toaccommodate work pieces of different height or thickness.

In yet a further embodiment of a right hand hold down and pusherconcept, a biasing member is provided to bias or lift the work piececontact portion of the pusher to a position spaced from the surface ofthe cutting instrument when not in use. This permits new work pieces tobe positioned on the surface of the cutting tool without having toremove or reposition the right hand hold down device. For example,following use in cutting a board with a table saw, the device remains onthe guide fence at a position near the leading edge of the table. Whenthe operator releases his or her grasp of the device, the biasing memberwill lift the work piece contact surface, whether that is a single notchor multiple notches on the base of the safety wall or a swing arm orsome other engagement surface known to those of skill in the art anduseable with devices of this type. In turn, this permits a new workpiece to be placed on the work surface without having to remove,reposition or lift the right hand pusher device from the guide fence asthe work piece will slide underneath the pusher device. The user maythen press the device against the new work piece causing the biasingmember to deflect and the pusher to engage the work piece.

Yet another embodiment of safety devices described herein is for usewith table saws, for example, in making dado cuts. A dual bearing holddown device is provided with two separate bearing elements that pressthe work piece in two directions to safely secure the work piece andeliminate work piece kickback. A first bearing element presses the workpiece against the guide rail or rip fence, and a second bearing elementpresses the work piece in a perpendicular direction against the surfaceof the cutting table. Both bearing elements are biased against the workpiece and the biasing force is adjustable. Additionally, the deviceitself is positionally adjustable to accommodate work pieces ofdifferent sizes. Further still, the bearing arm that positions thesecond bearing element may comprise different lengths to position thesecond bearing element at different locations relative to the cuttingelement, thereby facilitating a variety of different cuts and use withdifferent blades as the situation may require. In a preferredembodiment, at least the first bearing element is configured to apply aforce against the work piece at an acute angle relative to the engagedsurface of the work piece. Also in a preferred embodiment, at least thefirst bearing element comprises an arm having two portionsinterconnected at an angle relative to each other such that the bearingelement is curved or bent. Preferably, the arm will pivot against acounteracting biasing force to secure the work piece against the guidefence.

The dual bearing hold down device may also be utilized in connectionwith a table saw, jointer, planer, shaper or router. In one embodiment,the dual bearing hold down device comprises a base plate that covers asubstantial portion of the rotating cutting element, thereby eliminatingany opportunity for the operator's hand to accidentally contact thecutting element. In a second embodiment, the base plate may bepositioned adjacent a table saw blade.

In a further alternative embodiment, the hold down device may beconfigured in the form of a triple bearing device where two bearingmembers press the work piece against the guide fence and a third bearingmember presses the work piece against the surface of the cutting tool.Additional bearing elements for applying pressure against and securing awork piece may be added as would be understood by those of skill in theart upon review of this disclosure.

A further embodiment of the present invention comprises an anti-kickbackwheel. This device is contemplated primarily for use with table saws,but may also be used with other devices. In connection with table saws,the device includes a bracket or base designed to attach at or near thedistal end of the guide fence with a wheel that rides on top of the workpiece to provide pressure holding the work piece against the surface ofthe table saw and against the rip fence, greatly reducing the chance ofkickback. The freely rotating wheel is adjustably positionable by awheel bearing arm to accommodate work pieces of different thicknessesand widths and to apply adjustable pressure, as needed. The larger thediameter of the wheel, the more readily the wheel automatically engagesand rides over the top of a work piece without the need for an operatorto manually position the hold down wheel on the work piece, therebyeliminating the need for the operator's hand to be located near arotating cutting instrument. The wheel bearing arm is also designed tomove completely out of the way without having to dismount or disconnectthe device from the equipment.

Another embodiment of the safety system components comprises a devicewhich is used with a miter saw and is designed to secure a work piece ina position to achieve an intended cut while protecting the operator'shand against injury. In one embodiment, the device is securable to thebase or table of the miter saw. The device is rotatable about an axis ina plane generally parallel to the work surface or table surface of thesaw. Securing means is provided to securely position the device in adesired position with respect to the saw and work piece. In a preferredembodiment, the device further comprises a planer body having an uppersurface and a lower surface. The lower surface contacts the work pieceand the upper surface is engaged by the user for applying downwardpressure on the work piece. An upstanding safety wall is associated withor positioned on the upper surface for preventing or limiting a user'sreflexive or unintentional movement of his/her left hand into thecutting area. The lower surface may also comprise a subtending guidemember that provides a second surface to engage and secure a work piece.The guide member prevents a work piece from translating or slidinglaterally along the work surface away from the saw blade. In someembodiments, the device may further comprise one or more alignmentplates for consistently orienting the device in a desired or alignedorientation relative to a fixed component of the saw, such as the guidefence or guide rail. In addition, in some embodiments, at least aportion of the lower surface of the securing member comprises frictionor gripping means to enhance holding the work piece and prevent movementof a work piece relative to the device and the saw blade. Friction meansinclude, but is not limited to, sandpaper, protrusions extending fromthe lower surface, knurled surfaces, adhesives, magnets, and varioussimilar objects for gripping or engaging the work piece as will berecognized by one of ordinary skill in the art. The securing device isalso provided with a positioning arm that extends away from the planerbody in a direction generally away from the saw blade. A longitudinalslot is formed in the positioning arm and engages a threaded postsecured to the base or frame of the saw, allowing the device to pivotabout the post and be repositioned laterally along the work surface toaccommodate work pieces of different shapes and sizes. Cylindricalspacers may be positioned on the threaded post, under the positioningarm to elevate the securing member relative to the work surface of thesaw to accommodate work pieces of different thicknesses.

In addition, the miter saw hold down device enhances the ability to cuta work piece, including relatively small work pieces. Difficult anddangerous cuts not previously contemplated with a miter saw may be madeeasily and safely using this device.

An alternative embodiment of a safety device for use with a miter sawincorporates a pair of safety devices or safety arms that are positionedon opposite sides of the saw blade, although it should be understoodthat one safety device could be utilized at a time, in a preferredembodiment one device would be positioned on each side of the saw blade.Each device comprises a primary support arm that extends toward the sawblade. A first safety plate slideably engages the primary support armand extends from the distal end of the primary support arm toward thealignment wall of the miter saw. The position of the first safety arm isbiased such that it contacts the alignment wall to form a continuousblocking wall between the saw blade and the operator. In this manner, asthe miter saw is rotated or repositioned to create cuts at differentangles, the first safety plate automatically adjusts its position underthe influence of the bias to remain in contact with the alignment wall.If two safety devices are used simultaneously, one on each side of thesaw blade, the second safety device will similarly adjust to therepositioning of the saw blade to also remain in contact with thealignment wall. As a further option, a second safety plate may beattached to the first safety plate to further reduce or close theopening between the first safety plate and the surface of the miter sawthereby adding further protection for the operator.

In alternative embodiments, each of the foregoing described componentsmay be provided with visual or tactile safety indicia to indicate to auser that appendages, such as the user's hand and fingers, should notextend past a predetermined point or be positioned in a location otherthan as indicated. Indicia for use in the present invention include, butare not limited to, protrusions, indentations, markings, grooves,stepped features, text, symbols and similar features, as well as variouscombinations thereof.

These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of theinvention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments,objectives, and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. Aswill be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possibleusing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forthabove or described in detail below. Further, the summary of theinvention is neither intended nor should it be construed as beingrepresentative of the full extent and scope of the present invention.The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in thesummary of the invention, as well as, in the attached drawings and thedetailed description of the invention and no limitation as to the scopeof the present invention is intended to either the inclusion ornon-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this summary of theinvention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become morereadily apparent from the detailed description, particularly when takentogether with the drawings. Moreover, reference made herein to “thepresent invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to meancertain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarilybe construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the general description of the invention given above andthe detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explainthe principles of these inventions.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a table saw with exemplary embodimentsof component pieces of the safety system of the present invention. Awork piece is shown in a pre-cut position.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG.1A, further showing a work piece during cutting.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG.1A, further showing the work piece following cutting.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of anexemplary safety system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a jointer with the exemplary embodimentsof components pieces of the safety system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a dual bearinghold down device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a prior art jointer.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of anexemplary safety system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a right hand pushdevice, primarily intended for use with a table saw.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a left side plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a right plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swing arm pushdevice of the present invention, primarily intended for use with ajointer, router, shaper and/or table saw.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a left plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15A is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, furthershowing a work piece in phantom with a push bar in a horizontal positionresting on top of the work piece.

FIG. 15B is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, furthershowing the swing arm disengaging the trailing edge of a work piece(shown in phantom) as the work piece moves to the left.

FIG. 15C is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, furthershowing the swing arm horizontally aligned with the trailing edge of thework piece (shown in phantom) to enable pushing of the work piecethrough a cutting zone.

FIG. 16 is a right plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a dual bearing holddown device according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 17.

FIG. 18A is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of theembodiment of FIG. 18

FIG. 19 is a left plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 17, furthershowing a work piece in phantom.

FIG. 20 is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is a right plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 18, furthershowing a work piece in phantom.

FIG. 22A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22A-22A of FIG. 18and further showing one embodiment of a vertical hold down rollerpositioned on the top surface of a work piece being cut.

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22A-22A of FIG. 18,further showing the position of one embodiment of a vertical hold downroller following disengagement of a work piece being cut.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an anti-kickbackdevice of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is a left plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 24.

FIG. 27 is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 24.

FIG. 28 is a right plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 24.

FIG. 29A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a mounting plate ofthe present invention.

FIG. 29B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 29A, furthershowing one embodiment of a base plate of a dual bearing hold downdevice secured thereto by a lock down bolt.

FIG. 30A is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 29A.

FIG. 30B is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 29B.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mountingplate of the present invention.

FIG. 32A is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 31.

FIG. 32B is a top plan view of the guide plate of FIG. 32A, furthershowing one embodiment of a base plate of a dual bearing hold downdevice secured thereto by a lock down bolt.

FIG. 33A is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 32A.

FIG. 33B is a front plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 32B.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a left hand hold downdevice of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a rear plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 34.

FIG. 36 is a side plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 34.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a lock down bolt ofthe present invention.

FIG. 38 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a miter saw holddown device according to the safety system of the present invention.

FIG. 39 is an alternative top perspective view of the embodiment of themiter saw hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 40 is a bottom perspective view of the hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 41 is a top plan view of the hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 42 is a side elevational view of the hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 43 is an end elevational view of the hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 44 is a bottom plan view of the hold device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of the hold down device of FIG. 38 mountedto and used in combination with a miter saw.

FIG. 46 is a partial elevational view of one embodiment of a lock downmechanism for use with the miter saw hold down device of FIG. 38.

FIG. 47 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of ananti-kickback device.

FIG. 48 is a front elevation view of the anti-kickback device of FIG. 47showing the hold down arm in two alternative positions.

FIG. 49 is a top plan view of the anti-kickback device of FIG. 47.

FIG. 50 is a partial top plan view of the anti-kickback device of FIG.47 showing the first body member of a quick release positioningmechanism separated from the second body member.

FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 50.

FIG. 52 is an upper perspective view of an alternative embodiment of aright hand push device with an adjustable swing arm.

FIG. 53 is a lower perspective view of the right hand push of FIG. 52.

FIG. 54 is a top plan view of the right hand push device of FIG. 52.

FIG. 55 is a front elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.52.

FIG. 56 is a side elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.52.

FIG. 57 is a bottom plan view of the right hand push device of FIG. 52.

FIG. 58 is a front elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.52, further illustrating the lateral adjustability of the swing arm.

FIG. 59 is a side elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.52, further illustrating the longitudinal adjustability of the swingarm.

FIG. 60 is a side elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.52, further illustrating the pivoting motion of the swing arm.

FIG. 61 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a righthand push device.

FIG. 62 is a lower perspective view of the right hand push device ofFIG. 61.

FIG. 63 is a top plan view of the right hand push device of FIG. 61.

FIG. 64 is an end elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.61.

FIG. 65 is a cross-section of the right hand push device of FIG. 61,taken along line 65-65 of FIG. 64.

FIG. 66 is a first side elevation view of the right hand push device ofFIG. 61.

FIG. 67 is a second elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.61, illustrating the opposite side compared to FIG. 66.

FIG. 68 is perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a right handpush device.

FIG. 69 is lower perspective view of the right hand push device of FIG.68.

FIG. 70 is top plan view of the right hand push device of FIG. 68.

FIG. 71 is an end elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.68.

FIG. 72 is cross-section of the right hand push device of FIG. 61, takenalong line 72-72 of FIG. 71.

FIG. 73 is first side elevation view of the right hand push device ofFIG. 68.

FIG. 74 is a second elevation view of the right hand push device of FIG.61, illustrating the opposite side compared to FIG. 73.

FIG. 75 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a bearingmember shown in a first position attached to a base plate.

FIG. 76 is a top plan view of the bearing member of FIG. 75.

FIG. 77 is a first side plan view of the bearing member of FIG. 75.

FIG. 78 is a front plan view of the bearing member of FIG. 75.

FIG. 79 is a partial cross sectional view of the bearing member of FIG.75.

FIG. 80 is a perspective view of the bearing member shown in FIG. 75,oriented on the top of a work piece guide or rip fence.

FIG. 81 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a holddown device.

FIG. 82 is a lower perspective view of the hold down device of FIG. 81.

FIG. 83 is a top plan view of the hold down device of FIG. 81.

FIG. 84 is a side elevation of the hold down device of FIG. 81.

FIG. 85 is an end elevation of the hold down device of FIG. 81.

FIG. 86 is a bottom perspective view of the hold down device of FIG. 81,further illustrating how the device attached to a channel in a worksurface of a cutting instrument.

FIG. 87 is a top plan view of the hold down device of FIG. 81, showingthe device positioned on the work surface of a cutting instrument.

FIG. 88 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 87, further showingthe securing mechanism engaged with the channel of the cuttinginstrument work surface.

FIG. 89 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a safety device forthe left side of a miter saw.

FIG. 90 is a lower perspective view of the device of FIG. 89.

FIG. 91 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 89.

FIG. 92 is an end plan view of the device of FIG. 89.

FIG. 93 is a first side elevation view of the device of FIG. 89.

FIG. 94 is a perspective view of one embodiment of two safety devicesfor use with a miter saw.

FIG. 94B is a perspective view of a second embodiment of two safetydevices for use with a miter saw.

FIG. 94C is an end view of one of the safety devices illustrated in FIG.94B.

FIG. 95 is a perspective view of a miter saw and work piece, furtherillustrating the devices of FIG. 94 installed.

While the following disclosure describes the invention in connectionwith those embodiments presented, one should understand that theinvention is not strictly limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, oneshould understand that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, andthat in certain instances, the disclosure may not include details whichare not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, such asconventional details of fabrication and assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the safety system disclosed herein include multipleseparate safety devices or components that can be used individually orin combination to enhance the safety of and reduce injuries to anoperator of powered cutting tools. FIGS. 1A through 1C depict a tablesaw 10 with exemplary embodiments of three component devices of theoverall system of the present invention. These component pieces are aright hand push device 12, a dual bearing hold down device 14, and ananti-kickback device 16. However, while the dual bearing hold downdevice 14 is typically positioned in front of the cutting blade 18 andthe anti-kickback device 16 is typically positioned following thecutting blade 18, they are not restricted to those physical locationsand may be positioned adjacent or in close proximity to the cuttingblade, on opposite sides of the cutting blade or at other locationsselected by those of skill in the art for purposes of enhancing safetyand/or facilitating use of the devices. Accordingly, the names of thesecomponents should not be viewed as limitations on the functionality ofthese component pieces, but are simply labels for purposes ofdistinguishing one component piece from the other.

One embodiment of a right hand push device 12 will now be described ingreater detail. Referring to FIGS. 7-11, the right hand push device 12is a component piece designed to protect the right hand of an operatorof a table saw, planer/jointer, router or other cutting equipment. FIGS.7-11 illustrate use with a table saw 10. The right hand push device 12comprises a horizontal plate 20 with an upstanding wall portion 22 thatabuts a vertically adjustable safety wall 24. It further comprises ahorizontally adjustable guide wall 26 with a horizontal portion 28 thatabuts the lower surface 30 of the horizontal plate 20, and a handle 32.Vertical slots 34 are formed in the vertically adjustable safety wall 24to receive threaded bolts 36 that extend from and are affixed to thevertically upstanding wall portion 22 of the horizontal plate 20. Nuts38 or other securing members are affixed to the exposed end of the bolts36 to secure the vertical adjustable safety wall 24 in a fixed positionrelative to the vertically upstanding wall portion 22 of the horizontalplate 20.

It should be appreciated that other ways of adjustably securing thesafety wall to the horizontal plate will occur to those of skill in theart upon reading this disclosure and such methods are deemed to bewithin the scope of the present invention.

As is illustrated, the right hand push device 12 straddles the guide orrip fence 40 of the table saw 10 or any other cutting equipment. Thestraddled fit provides balance to the right hand push device.Preferably, the handle 32 is positioned on the horizontal plate 20 to bedirectly on top of the rip fence 40. This allows a wide variety ofpressure to be applied by the operator without dislodging the right handguide 12 from the rip fence. Slots 42 also are formed in the horizontalplate 20 to allow adjustable positioning of the guide wall 26 relativeto the safety wall 24 to accommodate rip fences of different widths.Threaded bolts 44 or other securement means known to those of skill inthe art extend from the horizontal portion 28 of the guide wall 26through the slots 42 formed in the horizontal plate 20. Nuts 46 aretightened to secure the position of the guide wall 26 relative to thesafety wall 24. As can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, by the operatorplacing his or her right hand on the handle 32 and advancing the righthand push device 12 along the rip fence 40 through the cutting zone ofthe table saw 10, the operator's right hand is located away from thecutting zone and, should the work piece kick or jump, the upper portion48 of the safety wall 24 blocks the operator's hand from accidentallycontacting the cutting blade 18. When not in use, the right hand pushdevice 12 may mount on a post extending from the rip fence 40.

In addition, the lower edge 50 of the safety wall 24 comprises a seriesof stepped cut outs 52 designed to accommodate work pieces of differentthickness. Each cut out comprises a horizontal surface 52 h and avertical surface 52 v. Depending upon the thickness of a work piecebeing cut, the appropriate cut out 52 is positioned such that thehorizontal surface 52 h rests on the top surface of the work piece toprevent vertical movement of the work piece during the cutting operationand the vertical surface 52 v engages the trailing edge of the workpiece to allow the operator to advance the work piece through thecutting zone by advancing the right hand push device 12 along the guiderail or rip fence 40 using the handle 32. It is preferred that thehorizontal surfaces 52 h have sufficient length to keep the work piecepushed down against the surface of the table throughout the entire cut.

In a preferred embodiment, the safety wall 24 has a width of no morethan approximately 0.25-0.0375 inches to permit thin cuts while stillfitting between the blade and rip fence. Making the device of aluminum,or other lightweight yet strong metal, allows the right hand push deviceto have a relatively thin width.

An alternative embodiment of the right hand push device 12 is shown inFIGS. 12-16. In this embodiment, the horizontal plate 20 and thehorizontally adjustable guide wall 26 are identical to that of the priorembodiment. However, the vertically adjustable safety wall 24 isreplaced with a safety wall 24′ that is fixed in position relative tothe horizontal plate 20. Instead of a series of stepped cut outs, thisembodiment includes a rotatable swing arm pusher 54 that is secured tothe safety wall 24′ at a pivot point 56. As shown in the sequence ofFIGS. 15A-15C, the swing arm pusher 54 is designed to rotate 90 degreesfrom a horizontal position, where it rests upon the top surface of awork piece, through a vertical position shown in FIG. 15C, where itengages the trailing edge of a work piece. The bottom surface 58 of theswing arm pusher is rounded such that as the trailing edge of the workpiece passes the bottom surface of the swing arm pusher 54, the swingarm pusher rotates to the position shown in FIG. 15C. Furtheradvancement of the work piece through the cutting zone is accomplishedby the operator advancing the work piece using the right hand pushdevice 12. A stop pin 60 is positioned at the top of the swing armpusher 54 to engage the top surface 62 of the safety wall 24′ andprevent the swing arm pusher 54 from rotating past the vertical positionshown in FIG. 15C. To accommodate work pieces of different thicknesses,the safety wall 24′ may include a plurality of apertures 64 generallyvertically aligned to adjust the vertical position of the swing armpusher 54 by relocating the pivot point to a different aperture. FIG. 2illustrates a table saw 10 with this embodiment of the right hand pushdevice 12 positioned on the rip fence 40. The upper portion 48 of thesafety wall 24′ protects the operator's hand during cutting.

A further alternative embodiment of the right hand push device 12 tothat shown in FIGS. 12-16 is the swing arm push device 12 shown in FIGS.52-60. The right hand push device 12 comprises a horizontal plate 20with an upstanding wall portion 22 that abuts a vertically adjustablesafety wall 24′. It further comprises a laterally adjustable horizontalguide wall 26. The guide wall 26 is repositionable relative to thehorizontal plate 20 by means of screws 44 that engage the guide wallthrough slots 42 formed in the horizontal plate 20. The guide wall 26,horizontal plate 20 and the lower portion of the safety wall 24′ form achannel that saddles a guide or rip fence, for example, on a table saw.The channel may be widened or narrowed to accommodate fences ofdifferent sizes by changing the position of the guide wall 26 relativeto the lower portion of the safety wall 24′. A knob 32 affixed to thehorizontal plate 20 is grasped by the operator to push the device 12along the guide fence.

Like the embodiment of FIGS. 12-16, this embodiment includes a swing armpusher 54′, but unlike the embodiment of FIGS. 12-16, the swing armpusher 54′ is longitudinally and laterally adjustable to accommodatework pieces of varying shapes and sizes. A post 250 extends laterallyaway from the safety wall 24′. A first bracket 252, with an aperture 254formed therein, receives the post 250 within the aperture 254. Amanually tightenable screw 256 secures the position of the first bracket252 relative to the post 250. As shown in FIG. 58, the swing arm 54′ maybe repositioned along the post 250 by adjusting the position of thefirst bracket 252. A first arm 258 is pivotally connected to the firstbracket 252 at pivot 260. The pivot connection allows the arm 258 topivot in a manner similar to the swing arm 54 in the embodiment of FIGS.12-16. A second bracket 262 is affixed to the arm 258. The secondbracket262 comprises a longitudinal channel 264 of generally the samecross-sectional shape as the first arm pusher 258. An elongatelongitudinal slot 266 formed in the second bracket 262 allows theposition of the second bracket 262 to be adjusted relative to the arm258. The position of the second bracket 262 relative to the first arm258 is secured by a screw 268 positioned in the slot 266. Thus, as shownin FIG. 59, the second bracket 262 may be adjusted relative to the firstarm 258. In addition, in one embodiment, the end 270 of the first arm258 may extend below the second bracket 262. In the unintended eventthat the cutting blade contacts the end 270 of the first arm 258, it maybe desirable construct the first arm 258 of a soft material, such as aplastic or wood, rather than metal, to minimize potential damage to thecutting blade. Alternatively, in a second embodiment, the end 270 maycomprise a second arm 272 (shown in FIG. 56) also attached to thechannel 264 of the second bracket 262 by a second screw (not shown). Thefirst arm 258 may be constructed of metal, while the second arm 270 isconstructed of a softer material and may be replaced at a less cost ifdamaged.

As illustrated in FIG. 60, the swing arm 54′ is designed to pivotclockwise around pivot point 260. With the device 12 positioned on aguide fence, a work piece may be moved beneath the swing arm 54′ and thearm 54′ will rotate out of the way and allow the work piece to movepast. Once the work piece is past the swing arm 54′, the arm 54′ will bein a substantially vertical position. As shown in FIG. 53, the firstbracket 250 comprises a shoulder 274 that prevents counterclockwiserotation of the swing arm 54′ which, in turn, secures the position ofthe swing arm 54′ to engage and push a work piece forward through acutting zone of a cutting instrument.

Yet another embodiment of a work piece pushing element 12 is shown inFIGS. 61-67. Like the prior embodiments, this device 12 includes ahorizontal plate 20, an adjustable guide wall 26 and a safety wall 24.The base 280 of the safety wall 24 includes a notched edge 52 to assistin engaging a work piece. Unlike the earlier embodiments, in thisembodiment the safety wall 24 is attached to a spring biased handleportion 282. A mounting block 284 is affixed to the upper surface of thehorizontal plate 20. Four links 286 are pivotally connected to themounting block 284. The opposite ends of the four links 286 arepivotally connected to a saddle bracket 288. It should be appreciatedthat four links are not required to position the handle portion 282relative to the horizontal plate 20. Fewer or more links may be used orother connections known to those of skill in the art upon review of thisdisclosure are within the scope of the present invention. A biasingmember 290, such as a leaf spring, is positioned between the saddlebracket 288 and the upper surface of the horizontal plate 20 to bias thesaddle bracket 288 away from the horizontal plate 20 and,simultaneously, raise the position of the notched edge 52 of the safetywall 24 away from a work surface of the cutting instrument. As a result,the notch 52 and base 280 are spaced or elevated above the surface ofthe table saw and out of the way of additional work pieces. In otherwords, a work piece will slide along the surface of the table saw,against the guide fence and underneath the notch 52 and base 280. Thepushing element 12 need not be removed from the guide fence as eachsuccessive work piece is placed on the table saw for cutting. Also, asillustrated in FIG. 67, the vertical position of the safety wallrelative to the handle portion 282 may be adjusted by loosening the nuts38 on the threaded bolts 36 and nuts 38 to accommodate thinner orthicker work pieces. Like the other embodiments, the guide wall 26 islaterally adjustable relative to the lower portion of the safety wall 24to form a channel of varying widths to accommodate a variety of guidefence shapes. When it is time to engage a work piece, the operatorpushes down on the knob 32 attached to the saddle bracket 288 andagainst the action of the biasing member 290. This action brings thenotched edge 52 of the safety wall 24 and the base 280 into engagementwith the trailing edge of a work piece. As a result, the pusher device12 may advance the work piece through a cutting zone with the safetywall 24 protecting the hand of the operator and the lower edge 52engaging the work piece to advance the work piece through the cuttingzone. The length of the base 280 further serves to hold down the workpiece. It should be appreciated that different safety walls may beincorporated into this structure to provide a longer or shorter base 280and/or a deeper notch 52.

Another embodiment of a work piece pushing element 12 is shown in FIGS.68-74. This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 61-67,with the general exception that the biasing member 290, which is a leafspring in the embodiment of FIGS. 61-67, is a deflection plate 400 andcompression spring 402 in the embodiment of FIGS. 68-74. Otherwise, thecomponents of the pushing element 12 are similar. With reference toFIGS. 72 and 73, the mounting block 284 includes a first cut out 404 anda second cut out 406. A first end of a compression spring 402 ispositioned in the second cut out 406. A first end of a deflection plate400 is pivotally connected to the mounting block 284 in the first cutout 404. More specifically, the deflection plate 400 comprises a mainbody 408 with a downwardly depending post 410 and a downwardly dependingflange 412 positioned at the leading edge of the deflection plate. Theopposite end of the spring 402 is held in position relative to thebottom of the deflection plate 400 by the post 410. A pivot pin 414extends through the flange 412 and the mounting block 284 to secure thedeflection plate 400 relative to the mounting block 284 and the lowersurface 416 of the saddle bracket 288. The compression spring 402maintains the position of the deflection plate 400 against the lowersurface of the saddle bracket 288 such that the notch 52 and base 280are elevated above the surface of the table saw and out of the way ofwork pieces. The amount of vertical separation between the notch 52 andtable saw work surface is adjustable in two ways. As noted above, therelative position of the safety wall 24 may be adjusted by looseningnuts 38 on threaded bolds 36, repositioning the safety wall 24 andretightening the nuts 38. Alternatively or in addition, the range ofmotion of the deflection plate may be adjusted. As seen in FIGS. 68-72,a threaded bore 418 is formed in the leading edge of the mounting block284 and a set screw 420 is positioned in the bore to block the rotationof the flange 412 about pivot 414. In turn, this sets the distance orheight the notch 52 and base 280 are spaced from the surface of thetable saw. In operation, a work piece is positioned on the surface ofthe table saw, against the guide fence and underneath the base 280 ofthe pusher 12. The operator grasps the knob 32 and presses downwardlyuntil the step 52 engages the trailing edge of a work piece. The fourlinks 286 pivot in unison and the spring 402 compresses until the workpiece is engaged. Upon completion of the cutting operation, the operatorreturns the pushing element 12 to the proximal end of the guide fencefor initiating a subsequent cut. Upon release of the handle, the spring402 elevates the deflection plate 400 and, in turn, the saddle bracketand handle 32 such that the base 280 and notch 52 are spaced above thesurface of the table saw. In a preferred embodiment, the height or spacebetween the surface and the notch may be adjusted between approximately1 to 2 inches and more preferably between 1.25 and 1.75 inches. As thoseof skill in the art will appreciate upon review of this disclosure, thelength of the base 280 may also be increased to provide enhancesstability of the work piece by engagement of the work piece over alonger distance. Preferably, the length of base 280 varies between 4 and7.5 inches.

One embodiment of the dual bearing hold down device 14 is shown in FIGS.17-21. As shown, the dual bearing hold down device 14 comprises a baseplate 66, including a slot 68 for adjusting its position relative to amounting plate 70 secured to the cutting equipment. (See, FIGS.29A-33B.) A pair of upstanding posts 72A, 72B are positioned to one sideof the base plate 66. A rotatable shaft 74 extends through the outerpost 72A and inner post 72B. A bearing arm 76 is affixed to extendsperpendicularly from one end of the shaft 74. A guide roller or verticalbearing 78 is positioned at the distal end of the bearing arm 76. Acollar or sleeve 80 is positioned around the portion of the shaft 74between the outer post 72A and outer post 72B. A pair of bores 82, 84are formed in the collar 80. The first bore 82 receives a lock bolt 86to lock the position of the collar 80 relative to the shaft 74. Thesecond bore 84 receives a limit/tension arm 88. One end of a tensionspring 90 is affixed to the distal end of the limit/tension arm 88 andthe opposite end of the spring 90 is attached to a post 92 or otherupstanding member affixed to the base plate 66. The tension spring 90rotates the collar 90 and shaft 74 as one piece, provided the lock bolt86 engages both pieces. A limit/tension arm stop 94 extends from one ofthe posts 72 to restrict or limit rotation of the collar 90 and shaft74.

The dual bearing hold down device 14 further comprises a pivot arm 96which pivots about a pivot point P affixed to the base plate 66. One endof the pivot arm 96 a includes a horizontal hold down roller orhorizontal bearing 98 that abuts a side surface of a work piece andholds the work piece against a guide rail 40. A stop 100 is affixed toand extends upwardly from the base plate 66 to restrict rotationalmovement of the pivot arm 96. A second tension spring 102 extendsbetween a post 104 secured to the base plate 66 and a post 106 securedto the opposite end of the pivot arm 96 b. The two tension springs forcethe hold down rollers to engage and apply pressure against surfaces ofthe work piece to hold the work piece during cutting. Additional posts104, 106 on the base plate 66 and on the second end of the pivot arm 96b are provided to allow repositioning of the spring 102 to adjust thetension applied to the pivot arm 96 and shaft 74. FIGS. 19 and 21illustrate engagement of a work piece or work piece by the vertical holddown bearing 78 and horizontal hold down bearing 98. As shown, the pivotP is positioned forward of the bearing 98 and 98′ such that the bearingsapply a force against the work piece at an acute angle relative to thesurface of the work piece. One of skill in the art will appreciate thatthe posts 104 and 106 may be located at other positions to accomplishthe same results, and will also appreciate that other known tensioningmechanisms may be substituted for the springs 90 and 102.

The function of the limit/tension arm stop 92 and the pivot arm stop 100is to prevent the vertical hold down bearing 78 and/or horizontal holddown bearing 98 from contacting the blade or cutting tool, once thedesired cut is completed. A principle is illustrated in FIG. 22A inassociation with making a dado cut. As shown, the vertical hold downbearing 78 engages the top of a work piece as the work piece is beingcut by a saw blade. For a dado cut, the bearing 78 may sit directlyabove the blade 18. The limit/tension arm 76 is being pulledcounterclockwise by the spring 90 to apply downward force on the uppersurface of the work piece by the vertical hold down bearing 78. Thisprevents the work piece from kicking or jumping. As shown in FIG. 22B,when the tail end of the work piece moves past the vertical hold downbearing 78, the force applied by the tension spring 90 acts to move thelimit/tension arm 76, collar, shaft and vertical hold down armcounterclockwise towards the cutting blade. However, the limit/tensionarm stop 94 limits the rotation of this assembly and prevents thevertical hold down bearing 78 from coming in contact with the blade 18.The limit stop 94 may be adjusted either by repositioning it indifferent apertures formed in the inner post 72B or alternatively, byadjusting the position of the collar 80 relative to the shaft 74 usingthe lock bolt. Alternatively, the dual bearing hold down device 14 maybe positioned such that the vertical bearing 78 is not positioned overthe blade or, a shaft 74 with a longer length bearing arm 76 may besubstituted. A longer bearing arm 76 will position the bearing rolleraway from the saw blade.

A triple bearing hold down device is shown in FIG. 18A. It is nearingidentical to the dual bearing hold down device shown in FIG. 18, exceptthat a second horizontal pivot arm 96′ is affixed to the base plate 66.A horizontal hold down bearing 98′ is affixed to the distal end of thesecond horizontal pivot arm 96′ to engage a work piece in the samemanner as the first horizontal pivot arm 96. An adjustable spring 102′interconnected between post 104′ and the second horizontal arm 96′applies a biasing force to the second horizontal arm 96′. However, in apreferred embodiment, it is intended that the cutting instrument bepositioned between the two horizontal hold down bearings 98 and 98′. Inthis way, the work piece is pushed against a rip fence or guide beforeand following the cutting of the work piece providing enhanced stabilityof the work piece and improved operator safety. It should be furtherappreciated that the relative position of the first and secondhorizontal arms 96 and 96′ may be changed to meet particular needs,including but not limited to particular configurations of cutting toolsmade by various third party manufacturers. It should be furtherappreciated that additional horizontal arms, as well as vertical holddown arms, may be added as needed. The triple bearing hold down deviceis preferably suited for use with a router, jointer or table saw usedfor dado cuts. Also, the shaft 74 is elongated in length compared tothat shown in FIG. 18 to allow the vertical bearing 78 to be moved awayfrom the base plate 66 to accommodate wider work pieces.

One embodiment of an anti-kickback device 16 is shown in FIGS. 23-28. Itoperates in a similar fashion to the dual bearing hold down device 14.As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2, the anti-kickback device 16 is secured toor near the distal end of the rip fence or guide rail 40 of a table saw10, planer (FIG. 3) or similar cutting tool. The anti-kickback device 16comprises an inner post 108 with apertures 110 to allow the inner post108 to be secured to the rip fence 40 using sheet metal screws orsimilar attachment members. An outer post 112 is disposed at a positionspaced from and parallel to the inner post 108. A shaft 114 extendsthrough apertures 116 in both the inner and outer post 108, 112. An arm118 extends perpendicularly from one end of the shaft 114 and a verticalhold down roller 134 is positioned at the opposite end of the arm 118. Acollar 120 surrounds that portion of the shaft that is positionedbetween the two posts 108, 112. The collar 120 includes a first aperture122 to receive a lock bolt 86 which affixes the position of the collar120 relative to the shaft 114. A limit/tension arm 124 extends from asecond aperture 126 in the collar. The distal end of the limit/tensionarm 124 is secured to one end of a tension spring 128. The opposite endof the tension spring 128 is secured to a post 130 affixed to the baseplate 132 of the jig as shown in FIG. 25. The position of the hold downroller 134 can be adjusted to correspond to the thickness of a workpiece by adjusting the relative position of the collar 120 and shaft114. The outer post 112 further includes a limit/tension arm stop 136 tolimit rotation of the shaft 114, arm 124 and vertical hold down roller134 to avoid contact between the roller 134 and the cutting blade 18 ofthe equipment. Potential contact between the vertical hold down roller134 and the cutting blade 18 can also be avoided by repositioning thelimit stop 136 into one of a plurality of other apertures 138 in thepost 112 or by positioning the anti-kickback device 16 at a positionlaterally offset from the cutting blade as shown in FIGS. 1A-2 inconnection with a table saw 10, and as shown in FIG. 3 in connectionwith a planer 140.

Yet another embodiment of a bearing member for biasing a bearing 78against a work piece is shown in FIGS. 75-80. The illustrated bearingmember may be substituted for the bearing members shown, for example, inFIGS. 17-28. In this alternative embodiment, the collar 80′ ispositioned inside a bearing housing 291. The bearing housing 291 may beoriented in a variety of positions as desired, for example, connected toa base plate 66 as shown in FIG. 89 or connected to a guide fence asshown in FIG. 80. In this embodiment, a shaft 74 extends through a bore292 formed in the collar 80′. The housing 290 includes a pair ofapertures 294 formed on opposite walls of the housing 291 through whichthe shaft 74 extends. A bearing arm 76 and bearing wheel 78 extend fromthe shaft 74. The bearing wheel 78 engages the work piece. A lock bolt86 having a handle 296 extends through an opening 298 in the removabletop cover 300 of the bearing housing 291 The collar 80 includes athreaded aperture (not shown) that receives the threaded end of the lockbolt 86. By tightening the lock bolt 86 into the threaded apertureformed in the collar 80′, the lock bolt 86 secures the position of theshaft 74 relative to the collar 80′. An elongate tab 302 extends fromthe collar 80′ and, as illustrated, has a first portion 304 and a secondportion 306 angled relative to the first portion 304. The relativeorientation of the two portions 304 and 306 may change as desired andthere need be only a single portion in some embodiments. A tensionspring 90′ is positioned between the second portion 306 of the tab 302and a side wall of the bearing housing 291. The second portion 306 ofthe tab 302 may optionally include a protrusion or boss (not shown)extending outwardly to receive one end of the spring 90′ and assist inpositioning the tension spring 90′. A movable cover plate 308 may bepositioned over the aperture 310 in the housing wall to access one endof the tension spring 90′ and assist in aligning the spring relative tothe tab 302 in order for the spring to apply a force against the tab. Toincrease or decrease the force applied by the bearing wheel 78 on a workpiece, the threaded lock bolt 86 is loosened relative to the collar 80′,the collar 80 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise as is appropriateto increase or decrease the compression on the spring 90′ and the lockbolt 86 is again tightened.

As shown in FIG. 1A, as a piece of wood or work piece is initiallypositioned for advancement through the cutting zone of a table saw, thevertical hold down bearing or roller 78, 134 of both the dual bearinghold down device 14 and anti-kickback device 16, respectively, may notbe in contact with the work piece. As the work piece is advanced, itwill initially cause the vertical bearing 78 of the dual bearing holddown device 14 to rotate to a position on top of the work piece to holdthe work piece down vertically as it advances through the cutting zone.Repositioning of the vertical bearing 78 to a position on top of thework piece applies the tension of the tension spring 90 to the workpiece to assist in the vertical bearing 78 applying necessary pressureto the top surface of the work piece during the cutting operation.Simultaneously, the horizontal bearing 98 applies inward pressureagainst the side of the work piece to secure the work piece against theside wall of the rip fence 40. As the work piece further advancesthrough the cutting zone, as shown in FIG. 1B, the leading edge of thework piece passes underneath the vertical hold down roller 134 of theanti-kickback device 16 such that the work piece is now secured on bothsides of the cutting zone. Movement of the vertical hold down roller 134to a position on top of the work piece applies the tension in thetension spring 128 to the work piece to cause the vertical hold downroller 134 to apply a necessary force to the work piece to preventundesired kicking and jumping during the cutting operation. Regardlessof the thickness of the work piece, the pressure applied by the tensionsprings 78 and 134 remains constant. As shown in FIG. 1C, followingcomplete cut of the work piece, the vertical hold down roller 134 of theanti-kickback device 16 still secures the work piece, prevents kickbackand prevents the work piece from falling to the floor and being damaged.The larger the diameter of the roller 134, the more likely it is thatthe roller 134 will automatically reposition itself to the top of thework piece. It is certainly not desirable for the operator to reach pastthe active cutting tool for purposes of repositioning a hold downdevice. In a preferred embodiment, each bearing 78 and 134 have adiameter of at least three inches, and preferably about four inches,which will accommodate work pieces of less than 0.25 to approximately1.50 inches in thickness.

The bearing hold down device 14, whether in a dual or triple or someother number of bearings configuration, may be attached to a table saw10 through use of a mounting plate 70 shown in FIGS. 31-33B. Themounting plate comprises a channel bracket 142 designed to fit withinthe channel 144 on the upper surface 146 of the table of the table saw10, illustrated in FIGS. 1A-2. A pair of parallel outer guide walls 148are affixed to the channel bracket 142 and, when connected to the table,rest upon the surface 146 of the table with the channel bracket 142positioned within the channel 144. An aperture 150 is formed in thechannel bracket 142 to provide a means of securing the channel bracket142 to the table and the hold down device 14 to the mounting plate 70.As shown in FIGS. 32B and 33B, the base plate 66 of the dual bearinghold down device 14 nests between the outer guide walls 148 of themounting plate 70 and is adjustably positionable relative to the guidewalls 148 (see arrows in FIG. 32B). Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C,the base plate 66 of the dual bearing hold down device 14 may be movedtowards or away from the rip fence 40 to accommodate work pieces ofdifferent widths. Once the position of the base plate 66 is selected,its position may be locked down relative to the table surface 146 by useof a lock bolt 147 positioned in a vertical slot 68 formed in the baseplate 66 and secured through the aperture 150 in the channel bracket142. This is illustrated in FIG. 33B. An embodiment of the lock bolt 152is shown in FIG. 37. With the dual bearing hold down device 14 in place,repetitious cutting of the identified work pieces may be accomplishedwithout repositioning of the device 14.

A different mounting plate, for use with a planer or jointer 140, isshown in FIGS. 29A-30B. Here, the mounting plate 70 is connected to thesurface of the jointer 140 and two parallel upstanding guide walls 154are formed at the outer edges of the mounting plate 70. Apertures 150are formed in the mounting plate 70 to receive screws or fasteners tosecure the mounting plate 70 to the table of the jointer 140. Anotheraperture receives a lock bolt 147 to secure the base plate 66 relativeto the mounting plate 70. As shown in FIG. 29B, the base plate 66 of thedual bearing hold down device 14 is then positioned between the outerguide walls 154 to allow it to be adjustably positioned relative to theguide wall or rip fence 40 of the planer. See, FIG. 3. In oneembodiment, when the dual bearing hold down device 14 is used with ajointer/planer 140, the mounting plate 70 is secured to the surface ofthe table 146 and positions the base plate 66 of the hold down device 14at an elevated position directly above the cutting blade (unlike thepositioning typically used with a table saw). As a result, the baseplate 66 of the hold down device 14 may be positioned above and cover alarge portion of the cutting blade, thereby preventing the operator'shand from contacting the blade.

A typical jointer/planer 140 is shown in FIG. 5. A rotatable safetyplate 156 covers the rotating blade and pivots out of the way as a pieceof wood is moved through the cutting zone. However, if an operator'shand were to slip and move into the cutting zone, the safety plate wouldsimply move away as it would with a piece of wood, and nothing wouldinhibit or prevent the operator's hand from coming in contact with therotating blade. Embodiments of the present invention substantiallyreduce this risk.

A left hand hold down device 158 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 34-36. The lefthand hold down device 158 may replace the dual bearing hold down device14 in connection with operating a table saw. The left hand hold downdevice comprises a base 160 which is pivotally connected to a channelbracket 162. The channel bracket 162 rides within the channel 144 formedin the upper surface 146 of the table of a table saw 10. The channelbracket 162 may comprise different shapes than the rectangular shapeshown in the figures provided it functions to maintain the position ofthe left hold down device relative to the table. The leading edge of theleft hand hold down guide includes a series of stepped or staggeredsurfaces 164 to accommodate work pieces of different thickness. A handle166 is formed on the upper surface 168 of the base 160 and a safety wall170 is formed at the forward edge of the base 160. In operation, asshown in FIG. 6, the channel bracket 162 sits within the channel 144 andallows the left hand work piece device 158 to slide within the channel144 and rotate relative to the channel bracket 162. A lock bolt 147 ispositioned and secured to the channel 144 to prevent advancement of theleft hand hold down device 158 into the cutting zone such that there isno contact between the left hand device 158 and the cutting blade. Thestepped surface 164 provides both a horizontal surface 164 to hold downa work piece and a vertical surface 164 to press the work piece againstthe rip fence as the work piece is advanced through the cutting zone.The left hand work piece device 158 may pivot or rotate relative to thechannel bracket 142 to accommodate work pieces of different widths. In apreferred embodiment, the stepped surfaces 164 are rounded orsemi-circular in profile to maintain constant contact with the workpiece at any orientation of the left hand hold down device 158 allowingthe tool to rotate while the work piece moves through the cutting zone.

An alternative version of a work piece hold down device is illustratedin FIGS. 81-88. Unlike the hold down device of FIGS. 34-36, thisembodiment does not require manual positioning by an operator's lefthand. This hold down device comprises a base plate 160 with a channelguide 162 affixed to the lower surface of the base plate 160. Thechannel guide 162 is dimensioned to fit in a channel typically formed inthe work surface of a cutting instrument, such as a table saw. A lockpin 320 extends downwardly from the channel guide 162 and fits in anaperture (not shown) formed in the channel of the work surface.Additionally, a locking cam 322 may optionally be positioned at theopposite end of the channel guide 162 from the lock pin 320 to alsoassist in securing the hold down device relative to the channel. A lever324 facilitates rotation of the locking cam 322 and, as shown in FIGS.87 and 88, by rotating the lever 324, the position of the cam 322changes relative to the channel to create a friction fit between the cam322 and the walls of the channel. A pivot plate 326 is pivotallyconnected to the top surface 328 of the base plate 160. The pivot plate326 comprises a first portion 330 and a second portion 332. A hold downmember 334 is secured to the first portion 330 and includes a series ofsteps or staggered surfaces 336 for engaging an edge of a work piece. Asillustrated, the hold down member 334 has steps 336 formed at each end.The hold down member 334 may be detached from the pivot plate 326 androtated such that either end of the hold down member 334 may bepositioned to engage the work piece. This permits the steps 336 on oneend of the hold down member 334 to be differently spaced form the steps334 on the opposite end, thereby providing a greater variety of workpiece sizes that may be engaged, Alternatively, the second end maysimply provide a replacement for the first end due to wear anddeterioration or damage from the saw over time. The second portion 332of the pivot plate 160 includes a series of spaced apertures 338. Ascrew 340 is illustrated as positioned in a first aperture (on the rightin FIG. 81) and secures the pivot plate 326 to the base plate 160.Utilizing the different apertures, the pivot plate 326 may berepositioned closer or farther from the cutting blade to accommodatework pieces of different sizes and to accommodate the location of thework surface channel relative to the cutting blade. A biasing member342, such as a tension spring, is also illustrated as extending betweena post 344 secured to the base plate 160 and a post 346 secured to thepivot plate 326. The biasing member 342 biases the position of the holddown member 344 toward a stop member 348 positioned on the base plate.In operation, as a work piece is engaged by the hold down member 344 andmoves past a cutting blade, the hold down member 344 and pivot plate 326may rotate, for example, counterclockwise as illustrated in FIG. 81, dueto the linear travel or motion of the work piece. The biasing member 342assists in maintaining engagement between the stepped surfaces 336 ofthe hold down member 344 and the work piece during a cutting operation.The stop member 348 orients the hold down member 344 in its initialposition once the cutting operation is completed and the work piece isremoved. In this manner, repeated similar cuts may be made withouthaving to readjust the position of the hold down member 344, therebyincreasing work piece through put and overall efficiency in production.Referring now to FIGS. 38-46, an adjustable safety and securing device170 primarily for miter saws according to various embodiments of thepresent invention is shown.

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the hold down device170 mounted on a miter saw 172. FIGS. 38-40 are perspective views of oneembodiment of the miter saw hold down device 170. The hold down device170 comprises a planer body 174, an upper surface 176 and a lowersurface 178. As best shown in FIGS. 38 and 41, an alignment plate 180 isadjustably secured to the planar body 174 by alignment screws 182,positioned in adjustment slots, and squarely aligns the planer body 174with the guide rail 184 of the saw 172. As shown in FIGS. 42-44, guidemember 186 extends from the lower surface 178 and provides a guidesurface 188 which abuts and assists in aligning the work piece for adesired cut. The guide member 186 comprises a substantially straightedge or surface for contacting a work piece. The guide member 186prevents the work piece from rotating or moving laterally away from thesaw blade while the surface 178 prevents the work piece from movingupwardly relative to the table surface and the guide rail 184 preventsthe work piece from moving longitudinally in the direction of the sawblade. The alignment plate 180 can be positioned such that the guidesurface 188 of the guide member 186 is parallel to the blade, or it maybe positioned such that the guide surface 188 is positioned at a desiredangle relative to the blade to make a particular cut.

As shown, the hold down device 170 is secured in place relative to thesaw and is positioned such that safe cutting of the work piece isenabled. The hold down device 170 comprises lock means 190 for securingone end of the hold down device 170 to the base or frame 192 of the sawby means of a threaded post 194 secured to the frame 192 and extendingthrough a slot 196 formed in a positioning arm 198. The lower surface178 of the hold down device 170 rests on an upper surface of the workpiece and the guide member 186 is provided on the lower surface 178 suchthat one edge or surface of the work piece is aligned with and engagedby the rigid member 186. The alignment member 180 is used to align theguide member 186 parallel to the saw blade when the saw blade ispositioned at 90 degrees, or at a different angle as may be desired. Thehold down device 170 further comprises a safety wall 200 extendingupwardly and generally perpendicular to the upper surface 176 of theplanar body 174. The safety wall 200 prohibits a user's hand or fingersfrom contact with the saw blade should the user's hand slip or the workpiece kick back.

When the hold down device 170 is aligned to a desired position, the workpiece may be secured by applying a downward force upon the upper surface176 of the hold down device by the operator's left hand to limit orprevent movement of the work piece and the hold down device. As shown inFIG. 44, at least a portion of the lower surface 178 of the hold downdevice 170 is provided with non-slip material 202, such as sandpaper orrubber, to engage the work piece and limit movement of a work piece. Anynumber of materials and features including, but not limited to rubber,knurled features, protrusions, etc. may be provided to assist ingripping the work piece.

Use of the hold down device significantly improves the versatility of amiter saw, allowing it to make precise cuts on relatively small workpieces that would previously not be attempted. Cutting a relativelysmall sized work piece would normally place the operator's handdangerously close to the saw. However, the present embodiment removesthese concerns and protects the operator's hand and fingers. In order tomake second or additional cuts, or cuts of a different orientation,including cuts of small work pieces, the saw and/or the hold down device170 may be re-orientated. For example, the hold down device 170 may beangled with respect to the saw blade and/or the guide fence 184. Thismay be accomplished, for example, by loosening the lock means 190,angularly adjusting the hold down device 170, and re-securing the lockmeans 190. The hold down device 170 may also be translated laterallyalong a path defined by the slot 196 to move the device 170 away from orcloser to the blade. As shown in FIG. 45, the position of the hold downdevice 170 may be adjusted to accommodate work pieces of differentthicknesses. Spacers 204 may be positioned on the threaded post 194below the positioning arm 198. A washer 206 may be positioned underneaththe lock nut 208 to provide a better grip for the lock nut 208.

In yet a still further embodiment, a handle may be located in the uppersurface 176 to further assist a user in applying force for securingand/or moving the hold down device 170. For example, it is contemplatedthat a joy-stick-type handle or protrusion be provided projectingupwardly from the upper surface 176. Such a handle is provided for bothindicating a safe location for a user's hand(s), as well as facilitatingthe application of force through an ergonomic feature.

Among the various advantages and benefits of the miter saw hold downdevice, including the aforementioned safety advantages, is the abilityto produce a series of cuts at varying angles, even where the length ofsuch cuts is/are small. The present invention provides a device whichallows for freedom of angular movement of a work piece in additional toangular adjustment features provided by a known device, such as a mitersaw, thereby vastly improving the versatility of a miter saw.

FIGS. 89-95 illustrate an improved safety system for use with a mitersaw. Unlike the device depicted in FIGS. 38-46, which is designed to aidin safely holding a work piece, the invention depicted in FIGS. 89-95 isnot designed to hold or secure a work piece. Rather, the system isdesigned to protect an operator's hand and fingers from injury whileoperating a miter saw by blocking contact between the user's hand(s) andthe blade.

In one embodiment, the system comprises two safety devices 350A and350B. One is installed on the right side of the blade and the other isinstalled on the left side as illustrated in FIG. 95. Both devices 350Aand 350B comprise a base plate 352 that is affixed a mounting bracket354 (FIG. 94A) secured to opposite sides of the miter saw arm 356. Forexample, downwardly extending pins 386 may be secured to the base plate352 (FIG. 94B) and secured within apertures in the mounting bracket 354to secure the safety device 350 to the mounting bracket 354 withouthaving to lock or clamp the safety device in place. The miter saw arm356 is part of a table 398 and extends outwardly from and rotates withthe table 398 to orient the saw blade at different angles relative to awork piece. A primary support arm 358 is affixed to the base plate 352at a pivot point 360 which allows the support arm 358 to pivot relativeto the base plate 352. The primary support arm has a generallyvertically oriented first portion 358 a and a second portion or arm 358b that extends generally horizontally from the first portion 358 a in adistal direction terminating at distal end 358 c. An arcuate slot 362 isformed in the base plate 352 and a locking screw (not shown) extendsthrough the slot 362 from the underneath side and is received in athreaded aperture 364 in the support arm 358. Accordingly, each supportarm 358 may be locked in position relative to the base plate 352 at adesired angle relative to the cutting blade and to position the distalend of the devices 350 A and 350 B closer or farther from the blade.

A first safety plate 366 is slideably secured to and extends distallyfrom the distal end 358 c of the support arm 358. A longitudinal slot368 is formed in the first safety plate 366 through which a pair ofsupport pins 370 extend from second portion 358 b and are secured to thefirst plate 366. The first plate 366 moves laterally relative to thesupport arm 358. A biasing member 372 interconnects the first plate 366and the support arm 358. In the embodiment illustrated, the biasingmember 372 is a coil spring that is connected to a pin 374 secured tothe first plate 366 and a pin 376 secured to the support arm 358. Thebiasing member 372 operates to bias the position of the first plate 366distally outwardly or away from the base plate 352. The distal end 378is designed to contact the vertical surface of the guide fence oralignment wall 184 that extends along the work surface 380 andintersects the cutting zone where the blade is located. Alternatively,instead of being mounted to the saw arm 356 of the table 398, the baseplate 352 may be mounted to other portions of the table 398 supportingthe surface. Of primary importance is the base plate 352 be attached toa portion of the table that rotates with the cutting blade. As is knownto those familiar with miter saws, the position of the saw blade may bemoved in order to make angular cuts in a work piece. More particularly,the saw arm 356, table 398, work surface 380 and cutting blade arerotatable from a position perpendicular to the guide fence 184, eitherto the right or left, through a range of angles. As the saw arm isrepositioned, the first plate 366 will maintain contact with the guidefence because of the biasing force of the biasing member 372. Forexample, as the saw arm is moved to the right in FIG. 95, the firstplate 366 on the safety device 350A will be pushed proximally throughcontact with the guide fence 184 as the angle between the guide fenceand the saw blade decreases and the guide fence moves closer and thefirst plate 366. At the same time, the first plate 366 of safety device350B, on the opposite side of the saw blade in FIG. 95, will extendoutwardly and remain in contact with the guide fence as the guide fenceon the opposite side of the cutting blade moves away. Both plates 366will maintain contact with the guide fence 184 due to the biasing actionof the biasing member 372 through a majority of the 180-degree movementof the saw blade.

Alternatively, each support arm 358 may be unlocked relative to the baseplate 352 and allowed to pivot or rotate. A locking screw may bepositioned in slot 362 to limit the range of motion of the support arms358, for example, to set a minimum distance between the distal end 378of the first plate 366 and the saw blade. In addition, the distal end378 of the first safety plate 366 may be biased outwardly, away from thesaw blade, such that as the angle between the first plate 366 and theguide fence 184 decreases below approximately 30 degrees, the distal end378 of the first safety plate 366 remains in physical contact with orclosely adjacent the guide fence 184. This biasing may be accomplishedin many ways known to those of skill in the art. For example, FIGS. 94Band C illustrate a biasing member, such as spring 382, positioned on theproximal side of pivot point 360 to exert a pulling force on theproximal end of the primary support arm 358. Different springs havingdifferent compressions forces may be substituted as desired, or one endof the spring 382 may be connected to a pin 384 which may be relocatedto different positions on the base plate 352 at differently locatedapertures to alter the compression force of the spring 382.

In addition, the first plate366 is secured to the support arm 358 inorder to form a gap between the bottom edge 388 of the first plate 366and the work surface. The gap allows a work piece to fit underneath thebottom edge 388 of the first plate 366 but otherwise acts to block auser's hand from contacting the blade.

In addition, a second safety plate 390 may optionally be added to thedevices 350 A and 350 B. The second plate 390 is secured to the firstplate 366 and extends downward from the first plate 366 toward the worksurface to further restrict possible pathways between an operator's handand the saw. As illustrated in FIG. 95, with or without the secondsafety plate 390, an operator may hold the work piece and the safetydevice 350A will be positioned between the blade and the operator'shand. The same is true for safety device 350B on the opposite side ofthe saw blade. The second plate 390 is also laterally adjustablerelative to the first plate 366. A slot 392 is formed in the secondplate through which a pin 394 extends from the first plate 366. Asecuring bolt 396 also extends through the slot 392 and engages athreaded aperture in the first plate 366. By adjusting the position ofthe second plate 390 relative to the first plate 366, the gap throughwhich the work piece is positioned can be reduced or closed to addfurther protection to the operator's hands and fingers. For work pieceshaving a greater height relative to the guide fence 184, spacers (notshown) may be positioned between the support arm 358 and the base plate352 to increase the height of the gap between the bottom edge of thefirst plate 366 and the work surface. In addition, a different secondplate (not shown) having a greater height may be substituted for thesecond plate 390 shown in the figures, to reduce the size of the openingbeneath the first plate 366.

FIGS. 47-51 disclose an alternative embodiment of an anti-kickbackdevice 16. The embodiment described in connection with FIGS. 23-28remains essentially the same, but a quick release positioning mechanism220 has been added. The quick release positioning mechanism 220 ispositioned between the shaft 114 and arm 118. The quick releasepositioning mechanism 220 comprises a first body member 222 affixed to aportion of the shaft 114. In this embodiment, the first body member 222is disk shaped, although other shapes may be used as will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art. The shaft 114 extends through a centeraperture in the first body member 222 and terminates in an enlarged endor cap 224. The first body member 222 is fixed to and moves with therotation of the shaft 114. The quick release positioning mechanism 220further comprises a second body member 226. In this embodiment, thesecond body member 226 is block shaped and includes a center aperturethrough which the shaft 114 also extends. Unlike the first body portion222, the second body portion 226 is not secured to the shaft 114 otherthan by virtue of the shaft extending through an aperture in the secondbody portion 226. The arm 118 is secured to the second body member 226by a pair of screws or by other means known to those of skill in theart.

As shown in FIGS. 50, 51, the second body member 226 includes aplurality of pins 228 that extend laterally out of the second bodymember 226 and engage receptively configured apertures 230 in the firstbody member 222. When the pins 228 are secured in the apertures 230, theshaft 114 and arm 118 move in unison. A spring 232 positioned betweenthe arm 118 and cap 224 force the second body member 226 toward thefirst body member 222. In this manner, the pins 228 remain engagedwithin the apertures 230 and the first and second body members aresecured together and move in unison. If it is desired to position thehold down wheel 134 at a position spaced from the work piece and out ofthe way, the second body member 226 is moved laterally outwardly againstthe force of the spring 224 to remove the pins 228 from apertures 230.The second body member 226, arm 118 and wheel 134 are then rotatedupwardly until the pins 228 align with apertures 234. The pins 228 arethen nested in the apertures 234 by the action of the spring 232 to holdthe arm 118 and hold down wheel 134 in a position spaced from the workpiece and out of the way.

The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intendedto limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In theforegoing Detailed Description for example, various features of theinvention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for thepurpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is notto be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed inventionrequires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than allfeatures of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of theinvention.

While various embodiments of the safety system present invention havebeen described in detail, it is apparent that modifications andalterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art.However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications andalterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Inaddition, it should be understood that the drawings are not necessarilyto scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for anunderstanding of the invention or that render other details difficult toperceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, thatthe invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodimentsillustrated herein. Other modifications or uses for the presentinvention will also occur to those of skill in the art after reading thepresent disclosure. Such modifications or uses are deemed to be withinthe scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A miter saw safety device, comprising: a supportmember adapted to attach to a miter saw, the support member having anupright first portion and an arm extending horizontally outwardly fromthe first portion, the arm having a distal end spaced from the firstportion, the arm having a bottom edge wherein the bottom edge isvertically spaced from the table of the miter saw to form a gap betweenthe bottom edge and the table when installed; and a first safety platehaving a first end and a second end, the first safety plate connected tothe arm with the first end positioned distally beyond the distal end ofthe arm, the first safety plate repositionable relative to the arm. 2.The miter saw safety device of claim 1, further comprising a secondsafety plate having a first end and a second end, the second safetyplate depending downwardly from the first safety plate andrepositionable relative to the first safety plate.
 3. The miter sawsafety device of claim 1, further comprising biasing means associatedwith the first safety plate and the support arm to bias the second endof the first safety plate distally away from the distal end of the arm.4. The miter saw safety device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion ofthe first safety plate extends downwardly from the bottom edge of thearm to reduce the size of the gap when installed on a miter saw.
 5. Themiter saw safety device of claim 1, wherein the first safety plateslides distally and proximally relative to the arm.
 6. The miter sawsafety device of claim 1, further comprising a base plate, wherein thefirst portion is pivotally connected to the base plate.
 7. The miter sawsafety device of claim 6, further comprising a mounting bracket adaptedto connect to the miter saw, and wherein the base plate is configured toreleasably connect to the mounting bracket.
 8. In combination: a mitersaw having a work piece supporting surface, a base, a guide fence and apivoting saw blade assembly; a first safety device comprising: a baseplate configured to removably mount to the miter saw on a first side ofthe saw blade; a support arm pivotally mounted to the base plate, thesupport arm having a first portion extending vertically from the baseplate and a second portion extending horizontally from the verticalportion; a first safety plate having a first end and a second end, thefirst safety plate connected to the arm with the first end positioneddistally beyond the distal end of the arm, the first safety platerepositionable relative to the arm.
 9. The combination of claim 8,wherein the first safety plate is biased relative to the arm to move thesecond end of the first safety plate distally away from the distal endof the arm and toward the guide fence.
 10. The combination of claim 8,further comprising a second safety device comprising; a second baseplate configured to removably mount to the miter saw on the side of thesaw blade opposite the first safety device; a second support armpivotally mounted to the base plate, the support arm having a firstportion extending vertically from the second base plate and a secondportion extending horizontally from the vertical portion; a first safetyplate having a first end and a second end, the first safety plateconnected to the second support arm with the first end positioneddistally beyond the distal end of the second support arm, the firstsafety plate depending downwardly from the second support arm andrepositionable relative to the second support arm.
 11. The combinationof claim 8, wherein the first safety device comprises a second safetyplate having a first end and a second end, the second safety platedepending downwardly from the first safety plate and repositionablerelative to the first safety plate.
 12. The combination of claim 9,wherein the second safety device comprises a second safety plate havinga first end and a second end, the second safety plate dependingdownwardly from the first safety plate and repositionable relative tothe second safety plate.
 13. A safety device configured for use with amiter saw, comprising: a support arm having a first portion and a secondportion, the first portion adapted to be affixed to the rotating tableof a miter saw on one side of the miter saw when the miter saw is in acutting position, the second portion extending horizontally from thefirst portion toward the guide fence of the miter saw and terminating ata distal end; a first safety plate affixed to and extending verticallybelow the second portion of the support arm, the first safety platehaving a first end and a second end, the second end extendinghorizontally beyond the distal den of the second portion of the supportarm.
 14. The safety device of claim 13, wherein the first safety plateis slideably affixed to the second portion of the support arm and isdistally and proximally repositionable relative to the second portion ofthe support arm.
 15. The safety device of claim 14, wherein the secondend of the first safety plate is biased relative to the support arm suchthat the second end of the first safety plate is proximate the guidefence of a miter saw as the miter saw is repositioned relative to theguide fence.
 16. The safety device of claim 14 further comprising aspring interconnecting the first safety plate to the support arm to biasthe second end of the first safety plate distally away from the distalend of the second portion.
 17. The safety device of claim 13, furthercomprising a second safety plate affixed to and extending verticallybelow the first safety plate.
 18. The safety device of claim 16, whereinthe second safety plate is vertically repositionable relative to thefirst safety plate.
 19. The safety device of claim 16, wherein thesecond safety plate is horizontally repositionable relative to the firstsafety plate.
 20. The safety device of claim 13, further comprising abase plate and wherein the support arm is pivotally mounted to the baseplate.
 21. The safety device of claim 18, further comprising a mountingbracket configured to connect to the table of a miter saw, and whereinthe base plate is configured to attach to the mounting bracket.
 22. Amiter saw safety device, comprising: a support arm having a firstproximal end and a second distal end, the first end adapted to pivotallyattach to a miter saw, the second end extending toward the guide fenceof a miter saw and defining a gap between a bottom edge of the supportarm and the work piece support surface of a miter saw when the supportarm is attached to the miter saw; and a first safety plate having afirst proximal end and a second distal end, the first safety plateconnected to the support arm with the second distal end positioneddistally beyond the distal second end of the support arm, the firstsafety plate repositionable relative to the arm.
 23. The safety deviceof claim 22, wherein the first safety plate is laterally repositionablerelative to the support arm.
 24. The safety device of claim 23, whereinthe first safety plate is biased distally to cause the second distal endof the first safety plate abut the guide fence of a miter saw when thesafety device is attached to the miter saw.
 25. The safety device ofclaim 22, further comprising a second safety plate affixed to andextending vertically below the first safety plate to reduce the size ofthe gap saw when the support arm is attached to the miter saw.